


Make Your Bed

by ohmytheon



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Robert's Rebellion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-09
Updated: 2014-12-09
Packaged: 2018-02-28 18:29:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2742650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohmytheon/pseuds/ohmytheon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Catelyn Tully made her own decision when it came to her role in the Rebellion, even if it meant marrying a completely different man than originally planned, and possibly giving her sister a safer husband.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Make Your Bed

Her sister trembled in her seat, staring hollow-eyed into the mirror at her own reflection, as Catelyn deftly wove her hair into a braid. She worked in silence, picking up a flower here and there and waving it into her sister’s pretty red hair. In a flash of immaturity, Catelyn couldn’t help but think that Lysa had nothing to be scared about, not like her. After all, Lysa was not the one marrying a man that was nearly twice her age. It was Catelyn that should have been the one staring blankly into a mirror while she was being comforted, but it was also Catelyn’s duty to do this for her little sister.

“You need not fear,” Catelyn told her gently, smoothing the younger girl’s hair down. “Eddard Stark will be a good husband to you; and you will be the Lady of Winterfell.”

Lysa whipped around, her eyes wide and bright. “I’m not scared for me. I’m scared for you!”

“Oh, Lysa…” Catelyn dropped her hands from her sister’s hair. Sighing heavily, she sat herself down on the stool next to Lysa and picked up the girls’ hands in her own. She felt so fragile, like a little girl. But then, she was only a little girl still, just ten and six. “You need not worry about me either. I will be fine; I will be safe–”

“It should have been me,” Lysa moaned, pulling her hands away and hiding her face with them, “or it should have been you. I don’t know what to think anymore.  _You_  were the one that was supposed to marry Brandon Stark, not me. So why am I the one marrying his brother in your stead now that Brandon has passed?”

Catelyn bit her lip, trying hard not to think about Lysa’s worries, but it was hard to do so when it was all she’d been thinking about for the past few days as well. She didn’t know what she was supposed to say to her sister. Could she possibly say that it had been her decision in the end? Could she say that she hadn’t really had a choice? Yes, it should have been Catelyn marrying Eddard since she had been the one betrothed to Brandon, but they would side with the Starks in this war no matter what. The marriage was mostly a formality and Lord Hoster Tully had another hand that he could give to the new young Lord of Winterfell. It had been another lord that they needed to secure, a much prouder and powerful lord; and Catelyn had known that despite Lysa’s youthful prettiness, she would not do.

“There is no use fretting over something that cannot be changed,” Catelyn finally decided on saying. It wasn’t comforting at all, but she was quite empty when it came to comforting words. The moment that she’d heard about this plan, she had known what her role would be. Lysa had been refused before, for the son, so she would certainly not do this time around.

If she was good at anything, her greatest skill and weakness was Catelyn’s ability to sacrifice herself for her family; and she had done just that, stepping up to the plate and making the decision for herself even before she had been asked. All she’d done was plead with her father to not tell Lysa the truth about it. Lysa hadn’t even known that she had been denied. It would break her heart to know this as well.

“But he’s…he’s frightening,” Lysa whimpered.

Catelyn leaned forward, pressing a kiss against her sister’s forehead. “Then it is a good thing that I do not scare easy.” She smiled, all ease and grace; and Lysa slowly returned the smile. “This is a time of war. Things can change in the blink of an eye. Men think that these times are for them, but women must bear the weight of the world as well and all blood war sheds. We must be strong, together, tonight.”

Lysa nodded her head and sniffled. “I can’t believe we’re getting married on the same night.”

“I know you wanted your own glorious wedding–”

“No, I’m happy– I’m relieved that you will be with me.”

“And I feel the same way in return.” Catelyn’s smile broadened, filled with more honesty and hope than she thought she could muster. She had dreamed about her wedding with Brandon since she was ten and four. It had always been a simple wedding ceremony, though she had known in her heart that Brandon would make it lavish and bright. He had always been like that. Now he was gone and war was breathing down their backs. They were in a corner and they’d needed help. She knew the price that women paid during times like these, sold off to the most powerful bidder, in hopes of tipping the scales. This time though, she had stepped on the scale herself.

A knock on the door startled both of them, but only Lysa jumped. They turned their attention to the door and a maid peered into the room timidly. “My ladies, I do not mean to disturb you, but–” She glanced back at someone outside the room, behind the door, and then looked back to them. “His lordship wishes to speak with you, my Lady Catelyn, before the procession.”

Of course Lysa shot her a nervous look, but Catelyn only nodded her head. The maid ducked out of the room. Catelyn turned to her sister and stood up, pulling the younger girl to her feet as well. “Go to your room so that you may finish getting ready.”

“But Cat–”

“Please do not argue with me on this one,” Catelyn sighed, sounding more tired than her eight and ten years. She painted on a reassuring smile again, but her sister did not look so convinced this time. “I will be fine, trust me.”

Lysa nodded her head and hugged her tightly. As she walked out of the room, she looked back to Catelyn nervously and then slipped through the open door. The smile fell from Catelyn’s face and she fought the urge to sigh and sit down again. No, she had to be strong. Weren’t girls supposed to be happy the night of their wedding? She was acting like it was her funeral instead. Lysa tittering about worriedly didn’t help matters, but she’d never let that bother her before.

When Catelyn looked up, she was no longer alone in the room, but was standing before Lord Tywin Lannister, her future husband.

This had been her choice in the end. She would have been here no matter what, she knew, but she had told her father that she would marry Lord Tywin if it meant securing his loyalties to Robert’s Rebellion. It had shocked him, of course. He hadn’t even told her of his intentions. But she wasn’t dim. She had known that they needed the Lannisters on their side; and she also knew that Aerys had affronted Lord Tywin on a great many of levels. They needed the wealth and power of Casterly Rock and the fear and respect that Tywin Lannister commanded. She had stridden into her father’s solar when he was talking with her uncle Ser Brynden and Lord Jon Arryn.

 _“If I cannot fight, I can still be of use in this war,”_ she had told them, and she had meant it.

Yes, Lord Tywin scared her – as he should anyone in their right mind – but she would not falter. She was strong. She was brave. She had been made for things like this.

“It is ill luck to see each other on the night of the wedding before the ceremony, my lord,” Catelyn pointed out, trying to keep all emotions out of her voice. She knew that he was the type of man that did not appreciate japes, but lucky for him, she wasn’t really in the mood for japes anyways. Marriage apparently sucked the humor out of her.

“Then perhaps it is a good thing I do not believe in luck,” Lord Tywin replied.

She knew that she should be demure – she should defer to him – she should just nod her head and agree with him…but she couldn’t do that. It was in her nature to be respectful, but she did not like to be walked all over. Yes, Tywin was a powerful man that ought to be feared and respected – and she did both of those things – but she would not be the lamb to his lion. “What did you have need of me for, my lord?” she asked. “I still have to finish getting ready for the ceremony.”

“Too busy helping your sister get ready for her wedding?”

“She is a young girl who knows little about men,” Catelyn said, somewhat defensively. “She is scared.”

“But not you?”

Catelyn narrowed her eyes a little. “Should I be?” Before he could even answer, she waved a hand in the air. “The prospect of marriage does not scare me. I have been raised to know my duties. I made my choice in this before it could be made for me.”

“Ah, so you made your bed with me and now you are going to lie in it.” Tywin walked closer to her. Some might back away – perhaps she should back away – but again she held her ground, folding her arms across her chest and looking back at him defiantly. “After terms were agreed upon, your father admitted to me that you came to him with the idea for this…arrangement. I had to ask you why.”

“Do you know our House words?”

Tywin nodded his head. “Of course, _Family, Duty, Honor_.”

“Then you already know why I chose my role in this war,” Catelyn answered. His eyes were a remarkable shade of green, pale with gold flecks. They fit him perfectly. “I would do anything to protect my family and its name. Wouldn’t you? And wars aren’t only won with battles. They can be won with words as well – even if the words are just vows between a man and a woman from two different Houses.”

There was a strange look about Tywin, almost as if he was…admiring her. She couldn’t be sure though. Like him, she was not very trusting of people and she most certainly did not trust Lord Tywin, at least not yet. That would take time, years even. “Lady Catelyn, you are…certainly made of a strength that I have not seen in a long time,” he finally said. “You seem to be made of harder things than most men.”

“I wasn’t always this hard. War has made me colder, I fear.”

“Lucky for you, Casterly Rock is filled with the warmth that comes from the sea. You will like it there, I think.”

“I thought you didn’t believe in luck.” Her lips quirked into a tiny smile. It was a jest, though she knew that he didn’t like jokes, but he did not seem to be too disgruntled with her. “Well, I do hope to be a very pleasing wife, my lord, but I may not be the most agreeable.”

“I’m fairly certain I would not want it any other way, my lady.”


End file.
